Television Isn't As Good These Days

[renegadefm]

I am old enough to remember when we only had 3 channels, BBC 1, BBC 2, ITV. 

I remember when channel 4 started in 1982, I was just 13 years old, but I remember saying to my parents where on earth will we find time to watch another channel, and they agreed with me.

These days its all about choice, we have channels, and catch up tv, streaming coming out of ears, but when you think of all the great content we had sandwiched into just 3 channels, it makes everything seem watered down. 

BBC 1 and 2 seem to have lost touch with what viewers want to see, at least it is that way in our household. 

And the tv licence is so outdated its unreal. 

I don't like the way we are forced by law to own a licence by the BBC when I or we only watch a small percentage of any of the BBC channels. 

I used to be a big fan of Radio 2, since they got rid of Steve Wright and Ken Bruce, I have converted to listening to Greatest Hits Radio. 

But the same it has to be said has happened to our tv watching, we rarely watch anything from the BBC. I do like some things like The Hit List, The Repair Shop, but not much else. 

Isn't it time we scrapped the licence altogether, and make all channels subscription based, so we only pay for what we watch. 

For example, we could browse a tv guide, click purchase, and watch that particular program, but only be charged for that program. 

Tonnes of channels which must be expencive to broadcast never get watched, they just sit there waiting for someone to tune into them, which in my view is a waste. 

[ToraToraTora]

No.

[Maydup]

I agree that the licence it an outdated model and that there is very little of good quality especially on the BBC to watch. But to be honest, if I had to pay to view I don't think I'dbother with half the things I do watch. Eg Repair Shop. It's OK but definitely not  something I'd pay to watch. The odd drama maybe but I'd soon ditch the likes of Matermind or The Sewing Bee if I had to pay. 

[barry1010]

I enjoy a lot of programmes on the BBC channels and don't begrudge the licence fee.

I think we only really remember the programmes we enjoyed and have forgotten the dross - there was a lot of it when we had only two and three channels broadcasting a few hours a day.  A lot of the programmes only got big audience figures because there was so little choice.  Yes, there was fabulous programmes but it wasn't all good

[renegadefm]

I think what irritates me the most is we have so much choice these days, if you have Sky or other subscription services, it probably means your not content with what the BBC has to offer, yet we are forced by law to have a licence, which whether you are content with the BBC or not, it seems unfair we have to pay for something we potentially rarely watch. 

To put it another way if you stopped paying a Sky subscription they cut off those channels, and its been that way for decades, so I would prefer it if the BBC content was dealt with in that way so that I'm not paying for channels I rarely watch. 

[Atheist]

Frank Zappa song from many years ago, relating to the evils of junk TV (similar to junk food, it is delicious but damages your health).

[Old_Geezer]

No. If something gives the nation value it should be kept. Although general taxation is a better way to fund a national service than a seperate licence tax ever was.

[ichkeria]

The licence is a bit of an oddity these days and the charge is based on domicile not individual which is also strange. 
But honestly it's dirt cheap compared to other subscriptions. 
It seems odd to be sentimental about the days of two BBC  channels and precious little else. And now to complain about too much choice and being forced to pay to watch BBC. In fact you need a licence to watch live tv on any channel (and recorded services on BBC). And the money funds all the BBCs channels and many regional channels. It's a bit of an oddity like I say but while many complain, most people do watch BBC services of one sort or another.   

[ichkeria]

IMO tv is much better these days. I remember when the options in the afternoon were the test card and the test match. If you were lucky ...

[barry1010]

Who was that handyman that taught dads DIY?  His name escapes me

[naomi24]

I think quality has suffered in favour of quantity.  I miss the old comedies like Porridge and Fools & Horses.  Nothing compares.

[Untitled]

there is a real problem with there being too many streaming services... there need only be three or four really and i suspect the market cannot sustain the current bulge! i also think that the decline of home physical media is a serious problem in the long run because it gives so much power to those services to decide what is possible to watch at all 

but in general i think we are living through a golden age of TV... possibly the best it has ever been. there is an embarassment of riches at the moment if you only count tv programmes made in the last three years... if you're ok watching stuff that's only a few years older than that then some of the best TV ever made is all there ready to watch! dive in and enjoy yourself... tv is one of the few areas of the world that isn't going down the tubes

[CrapatCryptics2]

The TV licence is a way of funding a bloated and outdated institution that needs to embrace the real world rather than penalising people, many of whom dont even watch those channels. That said you can scroll through Sky and its endless repeats, drivel, reality shows that arent, and "classic" soaps.

New and original content of any quality is few and far between.

[ichkeria]

"I miss the old comedies like Porridge and Fools & Horses"

Which can of course still be watched  on some of the extra channels. We tend though always to remember the best bits of the past and forget that they were often interspersed by dross 

[barry1010]

There was a lot of dross. 

[pastafreak]

The problem with paying for individual programmes watched, is that those of us who often have the telly on for company...elderly and disabled...won't be able to afford it. I'm sure families would be in the same boat.

Many channels might charge monthly subscription fees that on a yearly basis might be only a bit less than the current license.

[naomi24]

They can still be watched but as I said nothing produced these days compares.  I don't recall either containing dross.  Superbly written, superbly produced, and superbly acted.  Much would now be considered politically incorrect of course but I think that is what has really killed comedy that was actually funny.  Now we have Rosie Jones.  

[perseverer]

16.35.    Barry Bucknell

[perseverer]

Naomi, I agree about Rosie Jones and comedy, but did you see her in Call the Midwife on Sunday? In my opinion, excellent as an actor in straight drama.

[bhg481]

perseverer - are you sure it wasn't Reg Prescott (alias Kenny Everett)

 

 

[barry1010]

That's the chap, thanks, perserverer.

I don't think series like Terry and June would have lasted so long (9 series over 7 years) if there had been adequate competition.